August 31, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Malachi? Here’s today’s reading:
Malachi 3 (NIV)
1“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.
2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.…..Continue Reading
The Lord does not change… God’s immutability is a huge benefit to us.
God continues to address the questioning of the people and I love His reminder the “I the Lord do not change” and thank goodness for that! We always know what to expect and we know everything He does is out of love for His people. Man is constantly changing, swaying on every new opinion and idea we hear. We are selfish and prideful and do things that go against God like the issues addressed again here of tithing and obedience.
We would never know the salvation of God if it weren’t for Him making a way for us through His son, the selfless act that purifies an otherwise sinful man and makes a way where there wouldn’t be a way on our own!
Malachi 3: trying to catch up….
Verse 16, a “book of remembrance” exists, implies there is no forgetting with God. Man forgets, oftentimes selectively, but everything is recorded by God. There are people who find grace in God, who fear Him, or even think on His name! Our very thoughts recorded. Amen or Oh Me? -gy
To me a rather sad chapter. Although God sends a messenger to prepare His way, the people and leaders remain stubborn. “But who can endure the day of this coming?” The familiar phrase “Return to me, and I will return to you” comes up again only to be met with more arrogance and robbery.
Bless all of the “faithful remnant” who “see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked and are spared as the son who serves Him is spared. Certainly not sad for them.
His Peace!
Malachi 3 the first verse he’s talking about John’ the Baptist who is the first messenger and then Jesus is the second messenger. Then he talks about purification that will take place. How patient is our God, even after all of the sins and how they turned their backs on God he still forgives and offers Blessings to them which is the same for us. We are his treasured people.
What a fitting description of John the baptist and Jesus in these first few verses! And both would work to purify Israel and draw the Jews to true righteousness. And Jesus would do the amazing work to make it possible for all who believe to be right before God. And yet in spite of that, the Jews will still not get it right and judgement will come on them for the sins listed in verse 5. I am always struck when God talks of His distaste for injustice and how the most vulnerable of society are treated. And then He addresses their pocket books and the extent that their lack of giving is really a reflection of them not trusting Him. It is not often that God says test me in this, and yet how easily we can convince ourselves that we can’t afford to give to Him. It really is true that you cannot out give God and this passage reflects that. And yet another deception is pointed out as well, that at times we can be convinced that it is futile to follow God. It seems like there is more benefit in evil than there is in righteousness. But that is never the case, both in terms of the fruit of both of those in our lives and the lives of others, as well as how heaven regards both. God sees and He remembers the way that we live and He honors the righteous things done by doing so.
Here in this first verse is reference to John The Baptist for he would prepare the way of the Lord. In the New Testament there are references to him of who he is as was foretold by prophets before he came. Matthew 3;3 [ For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying , The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.] Also again in Matthew where Jesus speaks of him. Matthew 11;10,14 [ For this is he, of whom it is written, behold, I send my messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee. And if ye will receive it, this is Elijah, which was to come.] Of course in so many other scriptures. God has promised and He is always true to His Word. As it states in Malachi 3;6 [ For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.] How great is His love toward us even when we never deserve it. Also noted by God is the fact that they weren`t tithing and doing right offerings. To God this showed to Him how far away their hearts were from Him. Everything belongs to the Lord so how is it that they couldn`t even give a tenth of what already belongs to the Lord. With the offerings they didn`t see why they should even do them. It was a waste of time or money or so they thought. Thank God that He is a merciful, loving, true to His promise God.
“Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another,
And the Lord listened and heard them;
So a book of remembrance was written before Him
For those who fear the Lord
And who meditate on His name.”
Been reading a book with Shelly about the mind. It talks about how our thoughts and memories actually become physical DNA in our brain and that we can change those thoughts through neuroplasticity – by “rewiring” with the truth of God’s word. The writer is a believer and shows how science reinforces what God’s word has told us about the mind all the time.
“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
“Whatever is true, noble, right…..think about such things.”
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
“meditate on His name.”
The Lord does not change. If we return to him, he will return to us. And there will come a day when will see the difference between those who are righteous and those who are not. Because God has compassion and spares the ones who love him. Thank you Father.